Château Fleur Cardinale 2023

Cooler in expression with ripe cherry fruit, blackberry and a chalky minerality; feels fresher and more profound than in other years; remarkably crisp, with powdery tannins, elegant, showing finesse, precision and elegance. Outstanding!

Crafted from grapes picked within this lovely Grand Cru Classé and aged for 13 months in 45% new oak (what a nice change from the not-so-distant past, when it was dominated by too much oak tannin), the wine exudes ripe plum and red-berry aromas and flavours, with darker fruit and licorice on the juicy palate, marked by smooth tannins that further reflect the vintage’s potential positive energy. The wine has vivacity, leading to a medium finish with lift.

The 2023 Fleur Cardinale is rich and ample in the glass, but not at all overdone. Dark-toned fruit, new leather, incense, tobacco, chocolate and lifted floral overtones all meld together. The 2023 builds nicely over time, showing notable charm and tons of class.

Chocolate-covered black cherries, licorice, plums, and espresso nuances are all over the place on the nose, and on the lush, polished, round palate. The blend is 60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. All that extra Cabernet really makes a difference adding more freshness, complexity, and individuality. Drink from 2027-2040. 92-94 Pts.

Deep dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections. Ripe cherries, hints of liquorice, ripe plums, a hint of candied orange zest, inviting bouquet. Juicy, ripe fruit, elegant texture, ripe tannins, subtle nougat, mineral and persistent, salty finish, good ageing potential.

Lush (overripe) bouquet, Demassine, chocolate cream and violet. On the generous palate, creamy texture, vibrant drive, a mineral core, a tight-knit tannic frame and a sinewy body. In the concentrated finish, strawberry jam, preserved morello cherries and graphite. Rounded.

Vibrant plum colour, silky texture with sweet damson fruit, showing real personality and lift, beautifully measured progression across the palate; this has cocoa bean, liquorice, black tea, pomegranate, a ton of energy and concentration, well-judged grilled oak. pH 3.6. 45% new oak, plus amphoras, foudres, demi-muids, 15 hl/ha yield, so extremely low, making the skilful assembly of the wine even more impressive. Decoster family.

Score: 89–91. Strawberry and raspberry mingle their aromas in a nose full of indulgence, very round and juicy. These notes carry through to a fairly bright palate, with velvety tannins.

The bouquet of Fleur Cardinale reveals itself with subtlety and complexity. It has so much to say, yet it chooses a focused, precise expression, with details as its ambition. Creamy on the attack, the wine is supported by tannins that gradually take shape across the palate. It unfolds in a straight line, flawlessly, with elegance and then a touch of generosity, wrapping together freshness, tension and breadth. A sapid, elegant and accomplished wine that highlights crucial decisions made at the estate. The aim is no longer to dazzle, but to inspire enthusiasm. It may seem trivial written like this, but it is telling. Channel energy to shine even brighter!

Plum paste and cherry preserves are layered together, with a snap of red licorice and a spine of gently singed apple wood on the finish. Nicely rendered. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2027 through 2037. 6,400 cases made.

Deep, intense, beautiful colour. Very aromatic nose, with ripe fruit, developing liquorice notes and black fruits as the glass is swirled. Precise on the attack, very flavourful on the mid-palate, silky, the wine stays straight through the finish, bright in its flavours and sinewy in structure. Aromatic persistence throughout. Long and very good.